Power-transmitting device



(No Model.)

W. MAIN.

POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

No. 407,088. Patented July 16, 1889.

(Il-lull! N PETERS Pnoxo-mwmphar. wumngon, D. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

VILLIAM MAIN, OF BROOKLYN, NENV YORK.

POWER-TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 407,088, dated July 16, 1889.

Application tiled June I3, 1888.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM MAIN, a cit-i- Zen of the United States, residing` at Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power-Transmitting Devices, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and compact device for transmitting motion from a power-shaft or the like to mechanism to be driven thereby.

My invention relates to the application for the transmission of power of what is known as the fatt suirand-planet gear7 by means of mechanically practical mountings and connections in such manner as to impartmotion to the driven mechanism only when the oscillating member of said gear is restrained to constant parallelism by means of a connection or guide mechanism extending from the oscillating gear to a guide-bearing, which guidebearing moves with it when the power is not being transmitted, but may be restrained or retarded, so as to throw the driv ing and the driven mechanism into operative connection and in such manner that uniformity of speed shall be imparted to the driven mechanism.

In another application tiled June l), 1888, Serial No. 276,982, I have shown and described a variety of mechanisms embodying' my invention, and have explained at length the character of thc said mechanism generically considered. l

My present application has for its object the protection by Letters Patent of my invention embodied in mechanism wherein the connection or guide governing the action of the oscillating gear consists of a combination of parts having a motion of double swing in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the driving n gear of the sun-and-planet series.

In other applications iiled of even date herewith I have described and claimed specifically my invention applied in connection with the other types of guide inechanisms; and in still another application filed of even date herewith I have claimed the method involved in the practice of my invention, and

Serial No.276,983. (No model.)

these snbject-inattersI therefore do not claim in this application.

An important part of my invent-ion generically considered, and which I claim here, in combination with the particular form of guide mechanism herein shown and claimed, consists of a bearing for the guide mechanism which moves in unison with the driving-gear of the sun-and-planet series of gear-Wheels, but which may be restrained or retarded, so as to throw the driving and driven mechanism into operative connection. The restraint or retardation of this bearing may be gradually accomplished by a friction-brake or other suitable device, and the power of the shaft and the momentum stored up in its rotating connections may thus be gradually and without shock or jar transferred to the driven mechanism.

In the drawings forming a part of this specilication and illustrating one general type of my invention, Figure l is a side elevation, the outer half of the two-part pulley being` removed; and Fig. 2, a central section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

The shaft l is a driving-shaft adapted to be operated from any convenient source of power, and it carries fast upon it an eccentric 2,which moves 'freely within a circular opening in the oscillating gear-wheel 3, which constitutes theinitial member of the sun-andplanet series. Outside of and about this gear-Wheel is an annular gearl, concentric with the driving-shaft l, and bolted to the web 5 of a powertransmiting gear-wheel mounted by means of a hollow sleeve or hub o' upon the driving-shaft, and from which the power is conveyed by any appropriate connections to the driven machinery. I apply to this gear-Wheel the terni driven mechanism, intending to include thereunder any device to which the power transmitted through sun-and-planet gear-wheels may be applied, the gear-wheel shown being merely an illustration of one form of such driven mechanism. To the oscillating gear-wheel 2l is rigidly attached a plate 7, provided with lugs 8, from which connection is made by links 9 with a block IO, which block is in turn connected by links 1l with lugs l2 upon a pulley I3, mounted upon and rotating about the main shaft. The oscillating gear-wheel 3 and the pulley 13 will maint-ain fixed positions relative to each other as regards rotation, their absolute relative positions changing as the shaft 1 revolves to the extent of the swinging motion of the block 10 with reference to the plate 7 and of the block with reference to the pulley 13, caused by the eccentric position et' the gear 3 with reference to the axis of the pulley 13. The block 1O and its links connecting it, respectively, to the gear-wheel 3 and the pulley 13, constitute whatv I term a guide or guide mechanism, the pulley performing thefunction of a bearing for the guide, by the restraint of which the rotation of the gear-wheel 3 about its own center is controlled. Then the pulley 13 is free to revolve aboutI its axis, the gear 3 is also free, and will convey no power from the shaft 1 to the outer gear 4. When, however, the pulley is locked or held fast in one position, the gear 3 will be carried about by the eccentric in a' position constantly parallel to itself, and will communicate to thelouter gear 4 a rotating motion reduced to an extent dependent upon the ratio between the two gears. The amount of this reduction may be readily calculated according to well-known rules, which require no special explanation here. In other words, the line of the governing-points of the gear 3, which in this case we may conceive to be the screws 14 and 15, passing through the plate 7 into the gear-wheel 3, (see Fig. 1,) is constrained to always maintain as the gear 3 oscillatcs positions of parallelism with reference to a fixed line, (represented in this case by a line connecting lugs 12 on the pulley 13,) the mechanism effecting the constraint being the block 10 and its link-connections, respectively, to the plate fixed to the gear-wheel and to the pulley.

Brakes of any suitable construction are required to control the pulley 13 in order to effect transmission of power through -t-he gears, and I have shown two brake-shoes 16 applied to the pulley in Fig. 1.

It is true that that part of the mechanism which represents the fixed line in space and' its, depending upon the amount of pressure applied to the brakes. I do not confine myself, however, in claiming this invention to a movable or rotatory guide-bearing or the use of friction-brakes, but have shown these several devices as convenient forms of construction. Neither do I conline myself to the particular form of those parts which constitute the guide or the connections between the oscillating gear and the guide-bearing, since these forms may be indeiinitely varied while maintaining the double swinging motion in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the oscillating gear-wheel.

I wish it understood that my invention in the present application embraces any form of mechanism constituting a guide, the parts thereof having a swinging motion in two directions in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of .the oscillating member of a series of gear-wheels and connecting that member with a restrainable guide-bearing. I do not confine myself to that form of sun-andplanet gear in which the driving member is within the driven member. 'Ihe driving member maybe without, as in the original invention of Watt So, too, theV power may be transmitted with an increase as well as with a reduction of speed, and the oscillating gear may be the driven instead of the driving.

member; nor do I limit myself to a sun-and- .planet system in which there are but two `of the United States, is-

1. A power-transmitting device for connecting a drivin g-shatt with a driven mechanism, consisting of a series of gear-wheels, one of said gear-wheels having a rotary and also an oscillating motion, a restrainable guide-bearin g normally rotating with said oscillating wheel, and a guide for restraining the rotary motion of said oscillating wheel when 'the guide-bearing is restrained, said guide being made up of parts having a swinging motion about centers in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the oscillating gear-wheel, substantially as described.

2. A power-transmitting device for connecting a driving-shaft with a driven incohanisin, consisting of a Yseries ot' gear-wheels, one of said gear-wheels having a rotary and also an oscillating inotion,a restrainable guidebearing normally rotating with said oscillating wheel, a guide for restraining the rotary motion ot said oscillating wheel when the guide-bearing is restrained, said guide being made up of parts having a swinging mot-ion in two directions, said motions being in a plane perpendicular to the axis ot rotation of the oscillating gear-wheel, and a brake for restraining the rotation of said guide-bearin g, substantially as described.

A power-transmitting device for connecting a dri vin g-shaft with a driven mechanism,conssting of a series of 'gear-wheels, one of said gear-wheels having a rotary and also an oscillating motion, a restrainable guide-bearing normally rotating with said oscillating wheel, and a guide for restraining the rotary motion of said oscillating wheel when the guide-bearing is restrained, said guide con-` IOO IIO

sist-ing of a block connected on the one side by swinging links to the oscillating wheel and on the other side by like links to the guidebearing, substantially as described.

i. A power -transmitting device for eenneeting a driving-shaft with a driven mechanism, consisting of a series of sun-and-planet gear-wheels, a restrainable guide-bearing normally rota-ting with the driving member of said gear-wheels, and a guide for restraining the rotary motion of said driving member when the guide-bearing is restrained, said guide beingmade up of parts having a swing ing motion in a plane perpendicular to the axis ot rotation ot the driving member of the gear, substantially as described.

5. A power-transmitting device for connecting a driving-shaft with a driven mechanism, consisting of a series of sun and-planet gear-wheels, a restrainable guide-bearing normally rotating with the oscillatin g member ot' said gear-wheels, a guide for restraining the rotary motion of said oscillating member when the guide-bearing is restrained, said guide being made up of parts havinga double swinging motion in a plane perpendicular to the axis ot rotation of the driving member of the gear, and a brake ior restraining the movement of said guide-bearing, substantially as described.

6. A powertransmitting device for connecting a driving-shaft with a driven mechanism, consisting of a series of sun-and-planet gear-wheels, the oscillating member ot' said sun-and-planet gear-wheels being mounted within the other member, a restrain able guidebearing normally rotating with said oscillating gear-wheel, and a guide for rest-raining the rotary motion of said oscillating gear-wheel when the guide-bearing is restrained, said guide being made up of parts having' a swinging motion in two directions in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation ot the oscillating gear-wheel, substantially as described.

7. A powertransmitting device for connecting a driving-shaft with a driven mechanism, consisting of a series of sun-and-plan et gear-wheels, the oscillating member ot' said sun-and-planet gear-wheels being mounted within the other member, a restrainable guidebearing normally rotating with said oscillating gear-wheel, a guide for restraining' the rotary motion of said oscillating gear-wheel when the guide-bearing is restrained, said guide being made up of parts having a swinging motion in two directions in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the oscillatin g gear-wheel, and a brake for restraining the rotation of said guide-bearing, substantially as described.

8. A powertransmitting device for connecting a driving-shaft with a driven mechanism, consisting of a series of sun-and-planet gear-wheels, the oscillating member ot' said gear-wheels being' mounted within the other member, a restrainable guide-bearing normally rotating' with said oscillating gearwheel, and a guide for restraining the rotary motion of said oscillating wheel when the guide-bearing is restrained, said guide being made up of a connecting-piece joined to the oscillating gear-wheels by links and to the guide-bearing by links and having a swinging motion in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said oscillating gear-wheel, substantially as described.

i). A powertransmitting' device for connecting a driving-shaft with a driven mehanism, consisting of a series oi' sun-and-planet gear-wheels, the oscillating member of said gear-wheels being mounted within the other member, a restrainable guide-bearing normally rotating with said oscillating gearwheel, a guide for restraining the rotary motion of said oscillating wheel when the guidebearing is restrained, said guide being made up of a connecting-piece joined to the oscillating gear-wheel by links and to the guidebearing by links and having a swinging motion in a plane perpendicular to the axis ot rotation ot' said oscillating gear-wheel, and a brake for restraining the rotation of said guide-bearing, substantially as described.

l0. A power-transmitting device for connecting a driving-shaft with a driven meehanism, consisting of a series of sun-and-planet gear-wheels, the oscillating member of said sun-and-planet gear-wheels being mounted upon an eccentric formed upon the drivingshaft, a restrainable rotatory pulley loosely mounted upon the d ri vin g-shaft and normally rotating with said oscillatin wheel, a guide for restraining the rotatory motion of said oscillating wheel when the pulley is restrained, said guide consisting of a connecting-piece joined to the oscillating wheel and to the pulley by links, and a brake for restraining the rotation of said pulley, substantially as described.

ll. A power-transmitting device for connecting a driving-shaft with a driven mechanism, consisting of aseries of sun-and-planet gear-wheels, the oscillating member of said sun-and-planet gear-wheels being mounted upon an eccentric formed upon the drivingshaft, a restrainable rotary pulley loosely mounted upon the driving-shaft and normally rotating with said oscillating wheel, a guide for restraining the rotary motion ot' said oscillating wheel when the guide-bearing is restrained, said guide consisting of a connecting-piece joined to the oscillating wheel and to the guide-bearing by links and having a swinging motion in two directions in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the oscillating gear-wheel, and a brake for restraining the rotation ot said pulley, substantially as described.

l2. A power-transmitting device for connectin g a driving-shaft with a driven mechanism, consisting ot' a series of gear-wheels, one of said g'ear-wheels having an oscillating motion about a center, and a restraining guide for said oscillating wheel consisting of parts having a double swingin motion about TOO ITO

centers in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the said oscillating` Wheel and Connecting said oscillating Wheel With a relatively-fixed guide-bearing, whereby the oseillating Wheel is maintained in positions of constant parallelism, substantially as cleseribed. f

In testimony whereof I'have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' NVILLIAM MAIN.

Witnesses:

T. H. PALMER,

J. J. KENNEDY. 

